Tag Archives: Coalition Movement

In his characteristic nature, former Nigerian President, Dr. Olusegun Obasanjo, recently wrote a letter to President Buhari concluding that the President’s best efforts at bringing the seriously desired change in the country are not good enough. In strong terms, he urged the President not to seek a re-election come 2019.

Notwithstanding the fact that Obasanjo himself had sought a 3rd Term during his time and whether or not he had the moral standing to so admonish Buhari, Obasanjo indeed spoke the mind of many Nigerians in the same way he did during Jonathan’s tenure when he wrote the ex-President the letter titled, “Before It Is Too Late”.

Excerpts:

“The lice of poor performance in government – poverty, insecurity, poor economic management, nepotism, gross dereliction of duty, condonation of misdeed – if not outright encouragement of it, lack of progress and hope for the future, lack of national cohesion and poor management of internal political dynamics and widening inequality – are very much with us today. With such lice of general and specific poor performance and crying poverty with us, our fingers will not be dry of ‘blood’.”

“Nigeria must be good at home to be good outside.”

“[Jonathan] has a role to play on the side line for the good of Nigeria, Africa and humanity and I will see him as a partner in playing such a role nationally and internationally, but not as a horse rider in Nigeria again.”

“I knew President Buhari before he became President and said that he is weak in the knowledge and understanding of the economy… I know that you cannot give what you don’t have and that economy does not obey military order.”

There were serious allegations of round-tripping against some inner caucus of the Presidency which would seem to have been condoned… Culture of condonation and turning blind eye will cover up rather than clean up. And going to justice must be with clean hands.”

“It is no credit to the Federal Government that the herdsmen rampage continues with careless abandon and without finding an effective solution to it.”

“It is a sad symptom of insensitivity and callousness that some Governors, a day after 73 victims were being buried in a mass grave in Benue State without condolence, were jubilantly endorsing President Buhari for a second term!”

But there are three other areas where President Buhari has come out more glaringly than most of us thought we knew about him. One is nepotic deployment bordering on clannishness and inability to bring discipline to bear on errant members of his nepotic court… The second is his poor understanding of the dynamics of internal politics… The third is passing the buck.”

“President Buhari needs a dignified and honourable dismount from the horse.”

“Wherever I go, I hear Nigerians complaining, murmuring in anguish and anger. But our anger should not be like the anger of the cripple. We can collectively save ourselves from the position we find ourselves.”

“We must not continue to reinforce failure and hope that all will be well. It is self-deceit and self-defeat and another aspect of folly.”

“Democracy is sustained and measured not by leaders doing extra-ordinary things…but by citizens rising up to do ordinary things extra-ordinarily well… If leadership fails, citizens must not fail and there lies the beauty and importance of democracy.”

“Nothing ventured, nothing gained and we believe that our venturing will not be in vain.”

“We need a Coalition for Nigeria, CN. Such a Movement at this juncture needs not be a political party but one to which all well-meaning Nigerians can belong. That Movement must be a coalition for democracy, good governance, social and economic well-being and progress.”